Mowing-machine



(No Model.) v2Sheets- Sheet; 1. N. 0,. LEWIS.

MOWING- MACHINE. No. zvosL Patented Jan. 9,1883.

N. PETERS Phom-Llhngnpher. washington, D, C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.`

N. C. LEWIS.

MOWING MACHINE.

1510.270231, Patented Jan. 9,1883..

lfor use. Fig. 2 shows an elevation of the gears UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN C. LEWIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MowlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters vPatent No. 270,231, dated January 9, 1883.

i Application filed Aprl3,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it k nown that I, NATHAN GHILDEs LEWIS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Gomnionwealth of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mowing-Machines, ot' which the following is a specification.

M y invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the frame, the cutters, and Vthe levers and devices by which they are actuated, the object of it being to produce a mowing-machine simple and inexpensive in construction, efficient in operation, with much less motive power than'is required by mowingmachines as heretofore m'ade; and it consists in the t'orm and arrangement of the frame of the machine, the cutters, and the devices for actuating them. The frame of the machine, supporting the cutters and guards in front, the actuating-gears on the rear, andthe levers connecting the gears with the cutters on the sidesof it, rests on and is supported and carried by the ends of the axle outside of the wheels of thernachine. The cutters are in front of the wheels and extend outside of their path, so that both wheels run on ground which has been mowed over. l use two cuttingblades, made of thin plates of steel like sawplates, one above and upon the other, and both extending by the whole width of the machine. Both plates are deeply serrated, and are made to move at the same time, but in opposite directions. Each cutting-blade is connected at one end with a lever, which is pivoted on the topot' the side of the frame of the machine by an adjustable fulcrum. These levers extend to the back partof the frame, where they are connected with crank-gears by pitmen and adjustable pins, and the crank-gears are connected with the main gear on the carrying-wheels 0i' the machine, and with which it moves when the machine is moved forward, by suitable intermediate gears. One horse is suicient to draw and operate this mowing-machine, and he is harnessed to it in front oi' the middle of the cutting-blades.

In the drawings annexed, Figure l shows a perspective of the machine, with a horse and attendant, as it would appear in a field ready and pitman on the back part of the machine. Fig. 3 shows the device for pivoting the levers on the side of the frame ofthe machine. Fig. a shows a side view oi' the hub ofthe carryingwheel, having a ratchet and pawl which connects the wheel with the main gear lwhen the machine is moving forward, and so arranged that when Ythe machine is moved backward the pawl runs over the ratchet and the main gear is not moved. Fig. 5 shows a perspective of thecutting-blades with their supportingbar,to which the guards are affixed, the removable cover with device for keeping the cuttingblades in place, and guards on the supportingbar. Fig. 6 shows a section of the support- `ing-bar shown in Fig. 5 reversed and the manner of afxingthe vguards to it. Fig. 7 is an isometric projection of the mowing-machine,

partial front view. Fig. S shows a section of the two cutting-blades at one side of the machine.

a is the upper cutting-blade-a piece of platesteel about one-sixteenth of an inch thick, tive or six inches wide, and about six feet long--serrated deeply on the forward side, the teeth beveled so as to make a cutting-edge on the under side. On one end ofthis cutting-blade is axed a projection or ear on its upper side for the actuating-lever to engage or take hold of. In about the midd-le of the cutting-blade there is a narrow opening through the steel plates, extending about one-quarter the length of the plate, in which a stud or guide-pin works.

a is the lower cutting-blade, in all respects the duplicate of the upper cutting-blade, except the teeth are beveled so as to make a cutting-edge on its upper side, and the projection or ear for the actuating-lever to engage is on' itsunder side. A little graphite or similar substance to prevent friction is placed between these two cutting-blades.

a2 is the projection or ear on the end of the cutting-blade for the actuating-lever to engage. f

ai a3 are the actuating-levers by which the cutting-blades are moved. These levers are l on the top of the sides of the frame ofthe machine, extending from their connection with IOC)` brates to the right the other moves to the left, each moving the cutting-blade with which it is connected.

a4 a4 are fulcrums on which the levers a3 are pivoted. Thesearemadeto straddletheframe, and are to be axed toit with set-screws, so that they may be readily moved toward or from the cutting-blades, as circumstances may require. Bymaking these fulcrums adjustable the length of the power-arms of the operatin glevers a3 t3 can be varied, and this adapts them for operating the cutting-blades for different kinds of grass, heavy or light.

' a5 a5 are pitmen connecting the rear end of the levers (t3 with the crank-gears. a6 al? are crank-gears. These gears may be made so that their throw can be changed to suit the varying lengths of the power-arms of the'operating-levers, as already described.

a." is a central gear connected by intermediate gears and shaft with main gear.

a8 a8 are intermediate gears and shaft between and connecting central gear, a7, with main gear-wheel.

a9 is the ,main gear of the machine on the axle with and moved by the carrying-wheel of Ithe machine. This gear is fixed on the axle of the machine, and is tted with a ratchet-wheel and pawl on its side next to the wheel of the machine, so arranged that when the machine is moving forward this gear is turned, but when it is moved backward the pawl runs over the ratchet and this gear is not moved. When this gear takes motion from the wheel it carries the intermediate gears and shaft as, and. through them the central gear on the rear of the machine, (marked t7,) by which the crankgears c6 a6 are revolved. The pitman c5 a5, taking motion from the crank-gears, vibrates the levers a3 and the cutting-blades a a.

e is a lever pivoted on the axle of the machine, by which the attendant can bring a pressure 011 the upper side of the rear of the frame suflicient to overbalance the weight of the front part of the frame and the cuttingblades anddevices connected therewith and raise the front part of the machine up from the ground, so that it can be driven from place to place. The same motion of the lever throws the machine out of gear, so that the cuttingblades will not be moved whileit is in this position.

'e' is a segment cfa. ratchet-wheel, which engages the lever e when the forward part of the frame is raised up and keeps itin that position until released by the attendant.

- e2 is the frame of the machine, which rests on the-ends of the axle outside of the wheels, and supports on its front the cutting-blades, supporting-bar, guards, and cover, and on its sides the levers by which the cutting-blades are moved, and on its rear part the shaft and gears communicating motion from the main gear to the levers. This frame may be made of wood or of metal.

e3 e3 are the guiding-shafts of the machine.

e464 are the carrying-wheels of the machine.

c5 is vthe axle of the machine.

e represents guards in front ofthe cuttingblades.

e7 is a supporting-bar across the front part of the machine, to which the guards are afxed and on which the cutting-blades rest and move.

e8 is a cover or cap-plate over the cuttingblades, which is rmly affixed by screws to the supporting-bar el, and has a stud or guide-pin on the under side of it, which works in a longitudinal slot in the cutting-blades.

e9 is a longitudinal slot through the cuttingblades, in which a stud on the under side of the cap-plate e8 works, guiding the cuttingblades when in motion. There may be more than one of these slots in the cutting-blades, if necessary.

c is a ratchet-wheel 0n the hub otlthe carrying-wheel of the machine, which engages a pawl on the main gear and carries it around when the machine is moving forward.

c is the pawl on the main gear, which engages the ratchet-wheel c.

c2 c2 are loops'on the rear part of the frame of the machine, in which the levers/a3 t3 vibrate, and which serve to keep the/levers in their places.

c? is the attendants seat.

When this machine is being moved forward with the front end of the frame down in position to mow, the cutting-blades are both vibrated longitudinally, moving in opposite directions, the cutting-edgesof the teeth moving by each other and cutting off the grass between them, thus giving the advantage of two cutting-edges in motion toward each other.

I am aware that direct-draft mowers are old, that mowers have been provided with an operating-lever driven by gearing, and also that a harvester has been patented having its operating-lever furnished with an adjustable fulcrum. None of theseis of my invention. My device possesses all the advantages of these constructions, and is capable of and adapted to better and more beneficial uses. The operative gearing ofthe levers being placed way back gives a good and effective sweep to the levers, so that the cutting-blades work easily, thereby making the machine run easily, and by balancing the action it cuts evenly and squarely.

I claim a-s new and my invention- As an improvement in mowing-machines, a machine having the following parts, to wit: a frame, e2, arranged outside of the wheels and in front and rear, the cutting-blades a a in front, the levers a3 c3 at the sides, the sliding adjustable fulcrums a4 a4, the connecting-rods a5 a5, crank-gears a6 c6, and center Wheel, a7,- arranged atl the rear of the frame, and means, as set forth, for. actuating said center wheel from the main driving-wheel, all 'constructed as and for the purpose set forth. n l

Witnesses: NATI-IAN CIIILDES LEWIS,

Ons. HoUGH'roN, S. C. MAINE.

IOC

IIO 

